Interpreting Core Competencies of English as a Subject in China

Abstract

The proposal of core competencies of English subject conforms to the goal for talent training, which puts forward higher requirements for English teaching. The core competencies of English subject include language ability, learning ability, thinking quality and cultural awareness. It emphasizes the development of students' core competencies, the cultivation of students' correct values and attitudes, and the realization of the educational value of English subject. Interpretation of the core competencies of English subject helps teachers to grasp teaching better and deeply, which will be useful for teachers to clearly apply the theories into teaching design, so as to achieve the purpose of educating people in English subject. This article interprets the core competencies of English subject in China and explains the meaning of related concepts: activity view on English learning and English subject ability. On this basis, this thesis will take a teaching design of a reading text in unit 5 in the 4<sup>th</sup> compulsory English book for senior high school students published by People’s Education Press as an example, to illustrate the realization of the core competencies of English as a subject in senior high school English reading teaching, which aims to provide enlightenment for teachers’ English reading teaching in senior high school in China.